Monthly Archives: April 2008

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According to an ESPN fan poll, the Angels finished atop the “Fan Satisfaction Rankings” among all Major League Baseball teams and were ranked sixth overall among all sports teams. According to the Angels media relations staff, it is the fifth consecutive time the Angels finished on top of all MLB teams. The poll takes into account a number of factors including, “Wins over the past three years per revenues directly from fans,” whatever that might be. Instead of trying to explain it, click here to see the poll for yourself.

No, John Lackey did not pitch for the Quakes on Tuesday, which means that anybody who thought they missed it can get another chance to see the right-hander. Lackey instead threw on the side at Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday and will now pitch for the Quakes on Thursday. Check out the last item in this notebok from Pete Marshall to find all the details about Lackey.

John Lackey will pitch for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes in a rehab start on Tuesday. It would be one thing to wait for the reports on Lackey’s outing, or you can see how he does yourself by attending the California League game. Hey, both the Angels and Dodgers will be on the road that day so the Quakes will be one of the only games in town. For tickets to Lackey’s Quakes game against Bakersfield at Rancho Cucamonga’s Epicenter, click here, then select Tuesday’s game.

If you missed the Torii Hunter piece on HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel,” not to worry. The episode, which started to air this month, will replay on HBO April 22, 24, 26, 28 and 29. It will air on HBO2 April 23, 27, 29 and May 2. Hunter expresses his dismay that African American’s no longer are drawn to baseball. He also talks about his struggles dealing with a drug-addicted father. James Brown conducts the interviews. Also on the episode: Barack Obama’s love of basketball, the tragic death of minor-league first-base coach Mike Coolbaugh, and the story of the future basketball star that never was.

Can’t be too long before Matt Brown finds his way back on the Angels roster. The young infielder is off to the best start of his career. The Angels’ Triple-A affiliate also is doing very well. Nick Green and Nick Adenhart should represent the next wave of talented Angels starting pitching. Here is the Angels’ minor-league report on Salt Lake from Saturday’s action:

SALT LAKE BEES (Class AAA) – Pacific Coast League – Record 15-1, 1st

The Salt Lake Bees won their seventh straight game and 15th in the first 16 games with an 8-3 win over the Portland Beavers (San Diego affiliate). Salt Lake took an 8-0 lead into the bottom of the eighth and three Bees pitchers combined on a three-hitter. 3B Matt Brown, who leads the minors in extra-base hits (16) and total bases (58), had three hits, including a double and a two-run home run with four RBI. RHP Nick Green (2-0) started and pitched six no-hit innings, giving up five walks and striking out two. RHP Jeff Kennard went two relief innings, giving up one run on a hit. RHP Matt Wilhite pitched the ninth, allowing two runs on two hits. The Bees have won a franchise-record nine straight games on the road.

The Angels announced after Friday’s game that Howie Kendrick will head to the 15-day disabled list retroactive to Monday with a strained left hamstring and that infielder Sean Rodriguez will be recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake. It will be Rodriguez’s first stint on the big-league roster.

The way manager Mike Scioscia sounded before the Friday’s game, Howie Kendrick might be going on the disabled list with a bum hamstring. Scioscia never likes to give away any information before he has to so it takes some reading betwen the lines sometimes to figure out what might be happening.

“(Kendrick) ran today,” Scioscia said. “We’ll evlauate him as the game goes on and after the game (to see) how he feels. We’ll see how he comes out of it. He felt something there and we’ll make a determination of how quickly he’s moving in the right direction. It’s getting better, but the pace of this is what we want to pay attention to.”

The fact that Kendrick “felt something” is a setback. The need to evaluate him after the game sounds like a player might already be on the way from Triple-A Salt Lake (Brandon Wood? Matt Brown?)

“Today was his first real running and he felt it a little bit,” Scioscia said again. “We’ll see how it works through the days, how it feels after the game and we’ll make a determination.”

Scioscia said Thursday that a decision on Kendrick wouldn’t be made until next week’s series at Boston. The fact that something will be decided after today’s game sounds like Kendrick is DL bound. Stay tuned.

Normally we refrain from mentioning other teams in this space, but sometimes there is something just too irresistible. In this video blog, Chicago Sun-Times White Sox beat writer Joe Cowley challenges catcher A.J. Pierzynski to throw him out in 10 stolen-base attempts. Pierzynski threw out just 16 percent of base stealers last season, but let’s just say the predictable happens here.

Hey Cowley, you’re a buddy of mine and you aren’t afraid of much. Heck, you beat cancer. But your common-sense switch is officially damaged. Whoever agreed with you that this was a good idea probably makes fun of you in their spare time. That being said, I can’t wait for the next installment of “Joe Meets Pro.” It’s like watching a car crash or something. Rumor has it that a video blog down the road might have our hero take swings against Bobby Jenks. Train wreck.

Not to worry, though. I have a way for you to get even. Put A.J. in the press box for 10 consecutive nights and see how he does with deadline approaching. Doesn’t make for good theater like the base-stealing thing, but something tells me you can win that one. As long as there isn’t a Steelers game on TV.

The Angels know how to hold off their opponents. When Scoring first, the Angels have one of the best win percentages in baseball. Here is the breakdown courtesy the Angels pr department and Stats Inc.: